The invention concerns a method and an apparatus for the processing of fish, poultry or other meat products being conveyed in a plurality along a processing line. This involves meat products which have inedible components or components which are to be excluded from consumption and separated (components to be separated). It is known that meat products obtained by separation, namely fillets, can be checked. with an automatic inspection device for defects left behind, namely bone residues in fish fillets or poultry fillet pieces.
For example, it is known that fish fillets from which pin-bones have been separated can be inspected with a sensor device for detecting pin-bone residues left behind. Fish fillets which have pin-bone residues are delivered to an inspection station in which the bone residue is indicated on a display, in order to be removed manually by processing personnel. The inspection results are also used to obtain information on the product quality.
When filleting fish and meat products, a higher yield of flesh is obtained by making cuts closer to the bone. However, this is associated with the uncertain risk that dangerous hidden bone residues, for example of the wishbone in poultry or the collar bone in fish, or areas contaminated with them will be left behind unchecked in the fillet (edible product). This situation is aggravated for example if bone splinters and/or haematomas arise during slaughter. To reduce the risk of bones, processing staff therefore endeavour to adjust their manual or automated filleting machines in such a way that if possible the whole of the bone/contaminated area is separated. As a result, the yield for obtaining fillets is impaired because defect-free flesh is also cut away to an unwanted extent.
For deboning or filleting front halves of poultry, machines which separate the poultry breast using computer-controlled cutting knives and scraper blades are known. The separated poultry breast pieces (edible products) are taken by a conveyor belt to a station at which workers check the fillets manually for bone residues and also remove them manually. It is usual then to subject the fillets which have been found to be defect-free and separated to a final inspection which is carried out manually or by means of an X-ray device.
In order to debone fillets practically without residues and remove bone components from them, it is precisely in conjunction with an automatic inspection with respect to maximum reliability for the removal of defective residues that it will be appropriate to carry out manual trimming following automatic inspection by personnel. Naturally it is important that the activity of trimming can be made as simple and reliable as possible in order to make it easier and safer and if necessary also reduce requirements of personnel qualifications. For this purpose auxiliary devices which show fillets that have bone residues on a monitor to facilitate trimming are known. Even such auxiliary systems with monitors can lead to personnel fatigue or inattentiveness if defect residues occur at relatively long intervals, particularly irregularly and/or with considerable variation in appearance.